Ukraine's military continues to use the Patriot air defense system in designated areas of the front line, Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said on March 14.
His statement came after Forbes reported on March 9 that Russia had allegedly destroyed two Patriot launchers near Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast, for the first time since the start of all-out war. The Ukrainian military did not comment on these claims.
Oleshchuk said the Air Force apply "all available tools" to counter Russian aircraft.
Previous reports indicate that 13 Russian warplanes were downed in February and two more in March. This list includes 12 fighter bombers, two Su-35 fighter jets, and a rare A-50military spy plane. Another A-50 aircraft was reportedly downed in January.
Yuri Ihnat, the Air Force's spokesperson, attributed this success to air defense systems supplied by Ukraine's allies, which reportedly can be moved closer to the border or the front line after a decision of the military leadership.
Read also: Ukraine destroyed 13 Russian military aircraft in 2 weeks. How?
The Air Force commander said in early March that Ukrainian military managed to attack Russian planes at a distance of over 150 kilometers.
The loss of the aircraft led to a "significant" decrease in the number of Russia’s guided bomb strikes, the weapons that Ukraine is not yet able to counter, according to Oleshchuk.
Russia's total losses during the all-out war amount to about 672 aircraft — 347 planes and 325 helicopters, according to Ukraine's General Staff.
The General Staff's figure could not be independently verified.